Known infrared radiation sensors working according to the Bolometer principle typically comprise a structured diaphragm that is thermally isolated as the detection element. The incident infrared radiation is absorbed by this diaphragm, which causes the temperature of the diaphragm to increase. The temperature increase of the diaphragm causes a change in the electrical resistance of an electrical conductor mounted thereon. The resistance change is subsequently evaluated and serves as a measure of the intensity of the radiation absorbed.
C. Cabuz et al., “Fabrication and packaging of a resonant infrared sensor integrated in silicon”, Sensors and Actuators A, 43 (1994), pages 92 to 99, disclose an infrared radiation sensor working according to the Bolometer principle, in which a micromechanical resonator which absorbs infrared radiation is used on a substrate as a detection element. Depending on the infrared radiation incident on the detection element, the resonance frequency of this micromechanical resonator changes due to heating. This change in the resonance frequency is detected and used as a measure of the intensity of the radiation absorbed. The document US 2013/0170517 A1 also describes a radiation sensor working according to this principle.
For imaging radiation detection however, the arrangement of an array of such radiation sensors with a corresponding set of optics is required. Imaging infrared sensor arrays require a large amount of space however, are very expensive and can sometimes be relatively slow.
The object of the present invention consists in specifying an imaging radiation sensor which has low space requirements and can be economically produced.